NOTES 1. Note that throughout this course ‘YOU’ means the plural of ‘you’. 2. Note that English pronouns underlined are equivalent to the honorific form in Bengali. 3. Bengali letters underlined represent the ‘cerebral’ sound, not the ‘dental’. 4. In Bengali spellings ‘_’ indicates that the adjacent letters get brought together as one syllable. 5. In Bengali spellings ‘-’ indicates that the adjacent letters are in different syllables.

Pronunciation Guidance Using Romanized Method
Sounds can be played by clicking on the hyperlinks in the table. Also the sounds can be all be downloaded. Other helps are provided to help you learn the script. The Romanization method used in this course is consistent with the Romanized Input Method (should you prefer it) offered with Jaspell's Jaldi Multilingual Word Processor Software Package. VOWELS
INDEPENDENT OR INITIAL ROMANIZED PHONETIC SOUNDS AS IN THE ENGLISH SYLLABLE IF JOINED LIKE ... WORD ONTO ‘k’

Cerebral or Retroflexive - with the tongue bent back on the roof of the mouth

2 of 32

29/11/2010 10:56 PM

Learn to Speak Basic Bengali

http://www.jaspell.co.uk/learnbengali.htm

y Semi-Vowels r l sh s s Guttural Semi-Vowel Introduction h

y r l sh sh s s h

"yes" "ran" "lap" "ship" "fleshly" "ensure" "strap" "hog"

Sibilants

This basic oral course will cover the main features of the Bengali language. If you understand sentence structure you should quickly be able to achieve a simplified but effective system of communication. A fully detailed course can be studied later in harmony with this basic beginning. This course addresses the elements of sentences in the following way:1. Doers (nouns and pronouns) 2. Process done (verb) —; a simple past, present and future tense 3. Quality describing doers and objects (adjectives, etc.) 4. Manner describing process done (adverb) 5. Object forms of nouns and pronouns according to ‘case’ 6. Connectives linking to another clause 7. Conditional sentences 8. Interrogatives, correlatives and relatives 9. Other forms of expression common or without equivalent 10. Add other features SOME BENGALI SENTENCE STRUCTURES ON WHICH THIS ANALYSIS IS BASED:3. A B Quality 1. DOER DOER DOER DOER 3. 5. 4. 2. PROCESS PROCESS Manner PROCESS OBJECT (Manner) PROCESS 6.

. Today is Sunday. The form of the nouns and pronouns listed here may be modified in various ways if they occur as the object. The doing word (verb) ‘to be’ can be omitted. 1. Pronouns are listed here. and dictionaries. aaj-ke rabi-baar.
4 of 32
29/11/2010 10:56 PM
. aamaraa pitaamaataa.. We are parents. The listed form is for the doer (subject.g.Learn to Speak Basic Bengali
http://www. 1. e.2. iishvar prem. If the sentence expresses ‘A’ is ‘B’. See the later consideration of “Forms of Nouns and Pronouns As Objects According to ‘Case’”. If A is plural. He said to me that I should tell him.jaspell.uk/learnbengali. God is love.
Singular
Plural
Common
I you he she it you he aami tumi se se taa we you they they they you they
Common
aamaraa tomaraa taaraa taaraa taaraa
Honorific
aapani tini
Honorific
aapanaaraa t^aaraa
Do Exercises 1.
PEOPLE (sweet)
1. You can learn more from the attached vocabularies or lists of frequently used words. taaraa bandhu.1.co. Doers (nouns and pronouns)
[Go to Top]
A few nouns are listed below. They are friends.htm
C (Happy) D (Happy) E (Happy) F (Happy)
PEOPLE PEOPLE PEOPLE sweet SONGS SONGS SONGS
joyfully (joyfully) (joyfully) (joyfully)
SING SING SING SING and . nominative case) in the clause. B can be singular.3 Some Useful Words to Learn — Nouns and Pronouns: These can be used for ‘Doers’ and ‘Objects’
Top]
[Go to
NOTE: The words shown in bold style are those used in this short course. The others can be used as you widen your conversations. both A and B are in the unmodified subject form.

prove to ha-oyaa be [‘not to be’ [‘na-oyaa’] (notional)] Do Exercise 2.: “khaa-waa”] to want caa-oyaa to get paa-oyaa Do Exercise 2. make kar_aa to speak to read. kill maar_aa to know jaan_aa to see dekh_aa to remain thaak_aa
Do Exercises 2.jaspell.6 Like ghum_aa-no to sleep ghum_aa-no to run door_aa-no to stand d^aar_aa-no Do Exercise 2. I do not have a big book.co.uk/learnbengali. fall to understand to bring to come bal_aa par_aa bujh_aa aan_aa aas_aa
to be able to paar_aa (can) to die mar_aa to hit. aamaar bara bai nei. bring la-oyaa to be.3 Like la-oyaa [pron. aami bujhi naa. aami bujhi ni. 2. I did not understand. aamaar bara bai aache.
Like kar_aa to do.htm
I do not understand. I have a big book.Learn to Speak Basic Bengali
http://www.7 Compound Verbs (a noun or adjective with an auxilliary verb like kar_aa) to think mane kar_aa to believe bishvaas kar_aa to destroy dhvan°sa kar_aa to hate ghrrinaa kar_aa
to go yaaoyaa to sing gaaoyaa
to cause to do kar_aa-no to cause to see dekh_aa-no (show)
8 of 32
29/11/2010 10:56 PM
.4 Like khaa-oyaa [pron.2.: “la-waa”] to lead.

.. kii-bhaabe? this way e-man.-der m...-der (-ke) m. yena for this reason e-kaarane also.
Personal Object man affecting the man of the man to the man through the man
Singular maanus m.jaspell.uk/learnbengali.g.-raa
Plural m.g.. -er dvaaraa m.. Why did you kena gelen? go? e.. tabe now e-khan not (present or naa future) not (past) ni e.co. YOU too tomaraa-o
5.....-der (-ke) m.htm
six chay seven saat e. e-bhaabe when? kakhan? kabe? then takhan. leaders also netaaraa-o Do Exercises 4. two good dui bhaala friends bandhu
twenty biish hundred sha`
Do Exercises 3.g. Manner (Adverb) Describing The Process Done
very khub again aabaar here e-khaane there o-khaane where? kon`-khaane? kothaay? why? kena? why kaaran. very very khub-i e.-der dvaaraa
10 of 32
29/11/2010 10:56 PM
.g. Object Forms Of Nouns and Pronouns According To ‘Case’ [Go to Top]
A noun or pronoun representing a thing that is the object in a clause is usually a modified form of the word that would be used if it were the doer (subject). too -o e..Learn to Speak Basic Bengali
http://www.xx
4..g. I alone aami-i e.indeed..xx
[Go to Top]
-ly -bhaabe .. -er m.g... -i -particularly how? keman?. as well. in this (very) e bhaabe-i way e.. -ke m. -ke m.g.

-guli (-ke) b. Do Exercises 6. tumi aas-le kintu taaraa yaay ni. I will write lest I forget.. dvaaraa b. theke b.. Connectives
[Go to Top]
and eban° / aar as a result phalata because kenanaa. -e (or -te) m..... aami likh-bo paache bhule yaa-i. taahale lest..... taaraa bale ye iishvar nan.-er janya against ... so that yena in that case.-guli diye b. then tabe. prem ghrrinaa ceye bhaala. kaaran but kintu for this reason e-kaarane if yadi in order that.co.. kin°baa Examples:He came and we went. It is better to give than to take paaoyaa ceye deoyaa bhaala for ....uk/learnbengali. baa......-guli dvaaraa b.xx
6..... best (“good than all”) sab ceye bhaala The father is bigger than I pitaa aamaa ceye bara Love is better than hatred... (-ke) b.-guli -r madhye (or -te) he bai ! he baiguli !
Similar to ‘from’.jaspell..-der madhye (or -te) he maanus ! Singular b....-guli (-ke) b..-der diye
m...-der (kaac) theke m.. -er diye
m.-er saathe or -er san¹ge Do Exercises 5. -er diye b. ‘haite’... More commonly it is ‘ceye’.‘yadi’
11 of 32
29/11/2010 10:56 PM
. (-er kaac) theke m. .....-guli -r b.. Are you well? aapani ki sustha? They say that God does not exist.... We do it so that you will get benefit. .Learn to Speak Basic Bengali
http://www..xx
7. than can be ‘theke’.-guli theke he maanuseraa ! Plural
b. You came but they did not go..-guli b. se aas-lo eban° aamaraa ge-laam. Conditional Sentences
[Go to Top]
To modify a minor clause (that states a condition) add a word like ‘if ’:. so that not paache so (therefore) taai that (the fact that) ye whether? ki? or athabaa.... -(e)r b.. .. (-ke) b. -te (or -e) b. ‘hate’.-er viruddhe with .htm
by way of the man from the man in/on/at the man Oh the man! Non-Personal Object book affecting the book of the book to the book through the book by way of the book from the book in/on/at the book Oh the book! bai
m.. aamaraa taa kari yena tumi laabh paabe..

htm
To modify a main clause (that states the main process) that is linked to a condition add a word like ‘then’: ‘tabe’ or ‘that being the case’: ‘taahale’. e. aami yaa-bo
Condition if you come.co. {if you come too}. tabe aami yaa-bo.} then I will go.uk/learnbengali. aas-le tumi shun-be Do Exercises 7.
Qualified Statement I will go. the present participle of ‘aas_aa’ is ‘aas-le’:In the case of you coming you will hear. yadi aapani aas-ben If you know. yadi aapani aas-ben
Say. Interrogatives. yadi jaano.jaspell. The order of the main and minor clauses can be swapped with minor adjustments:e. {If you come. yadi paar-o
Qualified Statement then I will go. I will go. Correlatives and Relatives
Interrogatives what? who? WHO? kii
[Go to Top]
ke? kaaraa?
12 of 32
29/11/2010 10:56 PM
. For example.g. then say tabe balo. yadi paaro
Condition If you come.Learn to Speak Basic Bengali
http://www.xx
8. shuno
if you can.g. balo
if you know. yadi jaano If you can.
Listen. listen shuno
Bengali uses conditional participles: to make these just add ‘-le’ to the verb's stem.

g..g.uk/learnbengali.g. Example:I am fine aami bhaala.jaspell. dui-jan bandhu. dash-taa yuddha the (personal) the (non-personal/diminutive) se-i se-i ..] -jan e.htm
The main information in the original language has to be identified. or . if it can be implied from the verb ending theat is used.g.xx
10. 4 books.Learn to Speak Basic Bengali
http://www..g. caar-jan meye
a set number of non-persons / diminutive e. 2 friends. 1. fluent communication. car-ti bai. and an acceptable alternative way has to be found of communicating enough of this in a way that is comfortable in the new language. The doer word can be omitted from the sentence.co.
English greeting (from Arabic) response to greeting (from Arabic) greeting (with other backgrounds) Yes No I must listen (‘my listening will be’) I have a book (‘my book exists’)
Bengali aassaalaam-oyaalaaikum oyaalaaikum-aassaalaam namaskaar hy^aa naa aamaar shun-te habe aamaar bai aache
It was said to me It was said by me a book that speaks truth a a set number of persons e.-taa e.. 10 wars
-ti or -taa
e. 4 daughters
aamaake taa balaa gela (or hala) aamaa(r) dvaaraa balaa gela (or hala) ek satya balaa bai [The indefinite article does not exist.
14 of 32
29/11/2010 10:56 PM
. se-i bai or bai-taa
Do Exercises 9. Add More Features
[Go to Top]
It may be beneficial to add other important features of the Bengali language in order facilitate a rapid but sufficiently accurate start to meaningful.

uk/learnbengali. uttar shaanti.htm
I am fine bhaala aachi.3 Learn words about family members and other human relationships. In Bengali spellings ‘_’ indicates that the adjacent letters get brought together as one syllable.4
[Go to Top]
[Go to Top]
Ask questions. the interrogative like ‘ke’ (‘who’) is positioned last.xx NOTES 1. 2. Q: Who are you? tumi ke? A: Q: What is this thing? A: Q: What are those things? A: Q: What is today? A:
15 of 32
29/11/2010 10:56 PM
. The Bible is truth. iishvar ke? Kindness is the answer. 3. not the ‘dental’. EXERCISE 1.jaspell.Learn to Speak Basic Bengali
http://www. Then provide answers. In these simple sentences. aami in°rej se baan¹gaalii This is violence. In Bengali spellings ‘-’ indicates that the adjacent letters are in different syllables.2 Learn words about world conditions. 5. Do Exercises 10. EXERCISE 1. EXERCISE 1. Bengali letters underlined represent the ‘cerebral’ sound. 4.1 Translate:I am English. EXERCISE 1. Note that throughout this course ‘YOU’ means the plural of ‘you’.co. Note that English pronouns underlined are equivalent to the honorific form in Bengali. santraas ghrrinaa.

htm
Q: What is this time period? A: EXERCISE 1.5 Make plurals of the singular pronouns.uk/learnbengali.jaspell.7
[Go to Top]
Make plurals of these personal nouns by adding ‘-raa’ after a vowel or ‘-eraa’ after a consonant.8
[Go to Top]
saaksii-raa
bon_eraa
16 of 32
29/11/2010 10:56 PM
. saaksii bhaai bandhu meye baan¹gaalii bon maanus lok in°rej EXERCISE 1. aami tumi se taa aapani tini EXERCISE 1. but slight changes to the stem are needed for some of these.Learn to Speak Basic Bengali
http://www.6
[Go to Top]
Make singulars of the plural pronouns.co. aamaraa tomaraa taaraa taaraa aapanaaraa taaraa t^aaraa EXERCISE 1. They end in ‘-raa’.

Learn to Speak Basic Bengali
http://www.co.9 Learn the days of the week.1
[Go to Top]
prashna-guli
din-guli
I did aami kar-laam tumi kar-le he did we do aamaraa kar-i she does aapani kar-en he will do tini kar_ben you will do iishvar kar_ben The boy will do ke kar_be? we will do EXERCISE 2.3
[Go to Top]
I speak aami bal_i se par-lo You understand He will come aapani aas-len
17 of 32
29/11/2010 10:56 PM
.htm
Make plurals of the singular non-personal nouns by adding ‘-guli’.uk/learnbengali. prashna yuddha chabi sabhaa din parivaar jiiban baaibel uttar EXERCISE 1.jaspell.2 Learn some of the verbs patterned like ‘kar_aa’ EXERCISE 2. EXERCISE 2.

jaspell.co. EXERCISE 2.Learn to Speak Basic Bengali
http://www.htm
I will give aami nilaam He will give.uk/learnbengali. she gives They give. he takes I take. aami nei YOU will take.6
[Go to Top]
I eat aami khaa-i you ate he will eat aapani khaa-n se khe-la se yaa-y YOU go tini yaa-ben he will go he wanted aami paa-i we got aapani paa-n you went tumi ge-le he/she went I went aapani ge-len we go tumi yaa-o we will sing aamaraa gaa-bo they will sing aami caa-i he wants tumi pe-le they get tini caa-n
19 of 32
29/11/2010 10:56 PM
.

jaspell. aamaraa san°vaad dvaaraa taa shun-laam.Learn to Speak Basic Bengali
http://www.3
[Go to Top]
He read (the) book se bai par-lo tumi bai ni-le. Bible.
EXERCISE 5. taa ghar diye aas-lo. I heard through the big man. We will come by way of the meeting. They get knowledge from the taaraa baaibel theke jnaan paa-y. taaraa hal diye ge-lo.
26 of 32
29/11/2010 10:56 PM
.htm
They went to the leader. He gets encouragement from the picture.uk/learnbengali. The girl gave a name to the meye pashu-ke naam di-lo. ? taaraa kaaj dvaaraa shikh_e I knew through the war. aami bara maanus dvaaraa shun-laam. aamaraa yuddha theke ashaanti paa-i. They went through the hall.co. We get life through parents. chele pitaa dvaaraa shikh_e. tumi phul-ke paani di-le? I gave some food to the dog We heard it through the message. EXERCISE 5. animal.2 Convert the examples in the previous exercise to plural. They learned the message I know the name of the book aami bai-er naam jaan-i tumi baariir naam jaan-o He saw the peace of the people.

Learn to Speak Basic Bengali
http://www. as a result they do not know. EXERCISE 8.jaspell.htm
se taa bal-lo paache tumi taa bhule yaa-o Do you know? tumi ki jaan_o? tini ki dekh-len? Will you come? They do not listen.1
[Go to Top]
What do you think? kii mane kar_o? aapani kii dekh_en? What do you want? What's that?
Who are you? tumi ke? ee maanus ke? Who is this girl? Who are YOU? tomaraa kaaraa? ee netaaraa kaaraa? Who are these boys? WHO give food? Who gives war?
Why did you come? aapani kena aas-len? se kena taa bal-lo? tumi kena aagaamii kaale aas-be?
28 of 32
29/11/2010 10:56 PM
.uk/learnbengali.
If you listen then you will be able to learn. se aas-be athabaa aami taa kar-bo naa. I think therefore I am.1
[Go to Top]
If you come then you will see.
yadi aapani aas-ben tabe dekh-ben. EXERCISE 7.co. yadi se uttar jaan_e tabe se uttar ba-le.

uk/learnbengali.2
[Go to Top]
Do you know the question? aapani ki prashna jaan_en? iishvar ki dekh_en naa? Is hatred good? yuddha ki khaaraap? maar_aa ki bhaalo? aapani ki ekhaane thaak-ben? Will disturbance remain? EXERCISE 8. Example:-
29 of 32
29/11/2010 10:56 PM
.3 Make up statements and then add ‘ki?’ to make them into questions.jaspell.Learn to Speak Basic Bengali
http://www.co.htm
Why do they do that? Why did you not see it?
[Go to Top]
When did he come? se kakhan aas-lo? yuddha kakhan habe? When will peace be?
Where will they stand? taaraa kothaay d^aar_aa-be? tumi kothaay aach-o? aami kothaay ge-laam? Where is my book?
How do you know? kii-bhaabe jaanen? takhan keman habe? kii-bhaabe shun-len? How did you see? How will you know? prrithibiite jiiban keman habe? How will war become ended? EXERCISE 8. Put the ‘ki’ just in front of the word whose validity is in question.

EXERCISE 8.2
[Go to Top]
I must know aamaar jaan-te ha-be. aamaader ye-te ha-be EXERCISE 9. yeman saaksiiraa bal-len taman-i ha-y. EXERCISE 8.3
[Go to Top]
31 of 32
29/11/2010 10:56 PM
. yakhan ghrrinaa shes habe takhan shaanti ha-be.co.uk/learnbengali. Where there are people there food is necessary. yekhaane bhul dharma sekhaane yuddha. sekhaane prem. yeman caa-n teman-i khaa-n EXERCISE 9. He does it when he wants.1 Exchange greetings and discuss one's health.htm
time I will give it. aami taa di-bo. As the Bible said in that way we see conditions today. EXERCISE 9. We must speak. They must listen. When you want then I'll do it. prrithibii-te hab-be.8 Where there is true religion there yekhaane satya dharma aach_e is love. aapani yekhaane yaa-ben sekhaane aami yaa-i ni. tomaar aas-te ha-be.9
[Go to Top]
As it is in heaven so it will be on yeman svarge aach_e teman-i earth.Learn to Speak Basic Bengali
http://www.jaspell.

Four leaders spoke.
They saw three fishes. I have no hope. I [did] read a book.
[Go to Top]
Date of last edit: 17 February 2007
32 of 32
29/11/2010 10:56 PM
.jaspell. He has a wife and a son. tomaar samasyaa aache? They have parents.Learn to Speak Basic Bengali
http://www.4
[Go to Top]
I saw a boy aami ek-jan chele dekh-laam. tomaar-o samasyaa nei? They have no parents. aamaar aashaa aach_e. aami tin-jan bon-ke jaan-_i.htm
I have a hope. You have no book? EXERCISE 9. taar swaamii aach-e.uk/learnbengali. taar chelemeye nei. They spoke to five fathers. aami ek-ti bai par-laam se dui-taa samasyaa pe-lo.co.